The on-time performance of the nation’s largest airlines improved in July 2011 compared to the previous month and July 2010, according to the Air Travel Consumer Report released today by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).
The 16 carriers reporting on-time performance recorded an overall on-time arrival rate of 77.8 percent in July, up from both the 76.7 percent on-time rate of July 2010 and June 2011’s 76.9 percent rate.
Highest On-Time Arrival Rates
Hawaiian Airlines – 95.1 percent
Alaska Airlines – 90.9 percent
Southwest Airlines – 83.8 percent
Lowest On-Time Arrival Rates
Atlantic Southeast Airlines – 69.0 percent
ExpressJet Airlines – 71.1 percent
Frontier Airlines – 72.8 percent
Tarmac Delays
The carriers filing on-time performance with the Department reported only one tarmac delay of more than three hours in July, compared to three in July 2010 and 14 in June 2011.
Flights with Longest Tarmac Delays
Continental Airlines flight 44 from Miami to Newark, NJ, 7/7/11 – delayed on tarmac 201 minutes
(There was only one reported flight in July with a tarmac delay of more than three hours)
Cancellations
During July, the carriers canceled 1.7 percent of their scheduled domestic flights, up from July 2010’s 1.4 percent cancellation rate but down from June 2011’s 1.8 percent.
Highest Rates of Canceled Flights
American Eagle Airlines – 3.6 percent
Frontier Airlines – 3.2 percent
ExpressJet Airlines – 2.8 percent
Lowest Rates of Canceled Flights
Hawaiian Airlines – 0.0 percent*
Alaska Airlines – 0.3 percent
AirTran Airways – 0.5 percent
*Hawaiian canceled two flights in July
Chronically Delayed Flights
At the end of July, there was one flight that was chronically delayed – more than 30 minutes late more than 50 percent of the time – for three consecutive months. There were an additional 34 flights that were chronically delayed for two consecutive months. There were no chronically delayed flights for four consecutive months or more. A list of flights that were chronically delayed for a single month is available.
Mishandled Baggage
The U.S. carriers reporting flight delays and mishandled baggage data posted a mishandled baggage rate of 3.71 reports per 1,000 passengers in July, up from both July 2010’s rate of 3.69 and June 2011’s rate of 3.57.
Incidents Involving Pets
In July, carriers reported six incidents involving the loss, death or injury of pets while traveling by air, down from the eight reports filed in July 2010, but up from the five reports filed in June 2011. July’s incidents involved the deaths of five pets and the injury of one pet.
Complaints About Airline Service
In July, the Department received 1,285 complaints about airline service from consumers, up 17.1 percent from the 1,097 complaints filed in July 2010, and up 14.0 percent from the 1,127 received in June 2011.
Complaints About Treatment of Disabled Passengers
The report also contains a tabulation of complaints filed with DOT in July against airlines regarding the treatment of passengers with disabilities. The Department received a total of 56 disability-related complaints in July, up from both the total of 31 complaints filed in July 2010 and the 48 complaints received in June 2011.
Complaints About Discrimination
In July, the Department received five complaints alleging discrimination by airlines due to factors other than disability – such as race, religion, national origin or sex – down from the total of 12 recorded in both July 2010 and June 2011.
